Kathleen Wynne is wasting no time flexing Ontario’s electoral muscle, wading into the federal election on Day 1 of the marathon campaign to call for the defeat of Stephen Harper’s Conservative government. The Liberal premier of Ontario — home to more than one third of the 338 seats up for grabs on Oct. 19 — […]

The federal election race is officially under way, and the Conservatives, Liberals and NDP appear to be in a three-way race as they leave the starting line. The latest ballot tracking from Nanos Research shows a razor-thin margin of voter preference support separating the first-place Conservatives from the NDP and Liberals, in a survey that […]

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper says a desire to save taxpayers’ money motivated his decision to call an 11-week campaign that will actually cost taxpayers millions of dollars more. Outside Rideau Hall on Sunday, Harper said it was “essential” to start the campaign in the first week of August ahead of a vote on Oct. 19. […]

If Stephen Harper’s rivals want to do some game analysis of what they’re up against on the campaign trail, they should review the footage of his late May visit to Nova Scotia. Here was the consummate politician — relaxed, funny, and self-assured as he paid tribute to Justice Minister Peter MacKay. “I’m here in a […]

New Democrat Leader Thomas Mulcair walked away without taking any questions from the media after delivering his campaign speech across the river from Parliament Hill. “It’s just a statement for today,” NDP senior campaign adviser Brad Lavigne said following the speech Sunday morning when asked why the party leader, who polls suggest is within reach […]

Canada faces a “critical decision” about its best way forward, Stephen Harper said Sunday as he triggered what promises to be one of the longest, most expensive and most bitterly fought election battles in the country’s political history. As tourists swarmed Parliament Hill and blinding summer sunshine bathed Rideau Hall, Harper emerged to confirm that […]

That the proceeding at hand is not to be viewed as a “popularity contest” has surely never been said by anyone who is particularly popular. But so there stood Stephen Harper—the Prime Minister behind a podium, the granite arch of Rideau Hall around him, a weather-faded stone crest directly above, members of the press arranged […]

Stephen Harper is off and running — and Tom Mulcair is right behind him. The NDP leader kicked off his party’s election campaign — the “Campaign for Change” — across the river from Parliament Hill just moments after his Conservative rival asked Governor General David Johnson to dissolve Parliament. I believe that governing is about […]

If a week is a long time in politics, imagine how much changed since Canadians last voted on May 2, 2011. It’s a whole new ball game: The turf, the rules and some of the players have changed. And so has the electorate. Here’s some of what should make the 2015 campaign so shiny, new […]

Justin Trudeau knows he’s the rookie in the upcoming leaders’ debate, but the Liberal leader is looking forward to facing off against experienced debaters Stephen Harper and Tom Mulcair. “I understand the challenges we’re going into, but I’m also very excited about the opportunity to contrast our plan to the lack of plan of our […]

When New York announced that it would gradually raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour for fast-food workers, it was hailed by labour activists as a victory for thousands of low-income employees. The proposed hike can also be seen as part of a movement that has been gaining steam in recent years. In the […]

Featured Ink

Historically, the dramatic visit of a prime minister to the Governor General foreshadows a political frenzy and sets off a gruelling sprint. On Sunday, in the middle of a holiday weekend, Stephen Harper sounded the bell on a marathon, and the political dynamic ushered in on this morning is unlike any we’ve ever seen. In […]

Welcome – if that is the proper word – to the longest election campaign in more than a century, a length entirely arranged to suit the political purposes of the Conservative Party. There was no reason for the election to be called on Sunday, except that the Conservatives wrote the new election rules and can […]

The economy is sagging, the loonie sinking, the Senate scandal reviving and Nanos polling shows growing support for regime change after 10 polarizing years of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Confronted by that hostile messaging mess, the short-panted minions in Conservative party headquarters have devised a uniquely bizarre campaign strategy. The Canadian voter, they’ve decided, needs […]

Stephen Harper starts his re-election bid weighed down by the economy and pork-barreling. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to start. Prime Minister Stephen Harper begins a marathon campaign for re-election in running shoes made of lead, thanks to a contracting economy. This even after throwing bags of pork-barrel cash at us in a […]

A friend of mine pointed out my dim view of Liberal leader Justin Trudeau might be a simple case of hair envy. He has a point. We, the follically-challenged, view the overly-coiffured with some suspicion. I was quick to point out to my friend that even Canadians with a full head of hair were beginning […]

Ezra Levant is being persecuted — again — by the human rights industry. Levant was first hauled before the Alberta Human Rights Commission (AHRC) almost a decade ago. Back then, the popular former Sun columnist was publisher of the Western Standard magazine. He dared to publish the infamous Danish cartoons of Mohammed, which many Muslim […]

Welcome to the federal election that could impose a national carbon-pricing scheme on Canadians to reduce greenhouse gas emissions linked to climate change. Based on party platforms, public statements by the leaders and government documents, here’s what the national parties are proposing. If NDP Leader Tom Mulcair wins, Canadians will be paying higher prices for […]